Aaron Franklin Brand Smokers

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

Nice! That's what I wanna hear ibanda!! It's reassuring that he didn't sell out. Aaron strikes me from his TV specials as an everyday man who is true to BBQ.

I'm looking for next great thing in BBQ. If Franklin comes up with the next best mousetrap, then I'm going to be all over it.

 

[Springram]

Aaron Franklin has stated in his book that he is not a tuning plate guy. if the smoker is 6 feet long as reported, I imagine the firebox very likely could be 24" deep and the rest is the cooking chamber. That might explain why it has been mentioned that it will hold only three briskets due to the firebox side being much hotter. Also would mean sometimes having to switch out the locations of the briskets if cooking more than one. I am too old and lazy these days... that is why I like tuning plates or a reverse flow cookers.

 

[DetTigersFan]

I really like Franklin. Seems like a really down-to-Earth and genuine guy.
I think a lot of the "hatred" for Franklin just comes from mostly jealous people.
He's had a TON of opportunities to franchise Franklin Barbecue and he's turned them all down because he's ultimately concerned with his product quality and reputation. That would be impossible to control with a franchised restaurant. With manufacturing cookers I think it would be possible to control the quality. I'm also a big fan of the design of his propane tank cookers. Not sure if that's how these will be built, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were engineered very similar.

 

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

Amen DetTigersFan,

One of my buddies and classmates lives right there in Austin so nothing would be better than a road trip to go see him on the way to getting a Franklin cooker. My hope is that it'll be one awesome cooker among many. He could end up being a niche player, like a Shirley, where it's limited production, and all about the quality and pride in craftsmanship.

 

[pjtexas1]

while i am not a fan of the propane tank look it will be interesting to see the design/look of the cooker. i think both franklin and john lewis have talked about their cookers and rotating meats so that always led me to believe that they were not using tuning plates.

 

[stepheneleven]

Based off the pics on this site, they don't appear to be propane tank builds.

http://franklinbbqpits.com/

 

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

Nice! I just put my e-mail down for their e-mail list. I guess it'll get you into the queue for possibly buying their pit.

 

[Springram]

Ha! I did too. If I want one, I will have to file for divorce first. Get divorced and if anything is left in my accounts, I might can get one. Needing one..that's another matter. The difference between men and boys is the size and number of their toys!

 

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

Love it springram!

I saw that men/boys quote on a metal plaque on the side of a Lang 84 Kitchen Patio Model.

As awe-inspired as I am by my Shirley, I keep reminding myself that there will always be disrupters who can make something bigger/better/badder. I go back to 5 years ago when the name Shirley was not well known. We just might be getting in on the ground floor of owning a Franklin!!

 

[mnbadger]

I signed up for updates. When I built my pit I tried to do it as close to what he recommended for measurements and air flow. Personally I learned a crazy amount of info on how to bbq from his book and I really appreciated his recipes. No one has impacted how I do BBQ more than Aaron Franklin from his book to youtube videos to his PBS show. The man knows his BBQ and I'm looking forward to seeing how his cooker works (signed up for emails).

Hopefully a Brethren will get the cooker and we can all be jealous. I think the 3 brisket size is just about perfect. Big enough to pack in some serious meat for pork butts but small enough not to be a fuel hog.

 

[JacksBBQ]

Nice! I just put my e-mail down for their e-mail list. I guess it'll get you into the queue for possibly buying their pit.

If I had to guess, I bet these things will look very similar to the build design he lays out in the book including having the round firebox.

 

[TedW]

Franklin's airflow is like Jambo

 

[4ever3]

Franklin's airflow is like Jambo

It is?
I'm thinkin' no...

 

[TedW]

Check Franklin's vid

http://video.klru.tv/video/2365513482/

The FB ports into CC somewhat high, then down over meat and exhausts right at grate level

 

[4ever3]

Jambo has a diverter above the grate that kicks the heat up to the top of the chamber, Franklin doesn't.

 

[Cook]

I don't think the Shirley boys have anything to worry about.

Did I miss the part where anyone was quoted in saying, "And we're going to put those Shirley bastards out of business!"

It's not always a competition, people.

 

[TedW]

Jambo has a diverter above the grate that kicks the heat up to the top of the chamber, Franklin doesn't.[/QUOTE

Both do the exact same thing

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/142517/three-some More info and diagrams of this.

Again, I'd check Franklin's video in that link I posted. His FB is way high dumping air from up high.

 

[jonnyb629]

Is it possible that both Jambo and Franklin learned the same lessons by building their own pits through trial and error? I seriously doubt Franklin is trying to copy anyone's design. If anything, his video shows how he has learned and adapted each subsequent pit in order to capitalize on the lessons learned through experimentation. Otherwise, all his pits in the restaurant would be exactly the same.

 

[TedW]

Moving the vents around and finding optimal positions is just a natural trial and error thing, as you say. In his vid he mentions this is the culmination of what he's learned from his own cookers.

 

[DetTigersFan]

Based off the pics on this site, they don't appear to be propane tank builds.

http://franklinbbqpits.com/

From the looks of the few pictures they're gonna have the exhaust positioned at grate level like he has them on his big propane tank cookers at the restaurant. I've always been a big fan of the strategy/theory/thinking behind this design element.